#wfc shockwave

[scourgeofmyownbrain]

Only one guy on here has two eyes, and even then, they're fake eyes. It's big-tits-McGee, Mr. logic man extraordinaire, Geneva Suggestion Believer himself: Shockwave! Yep, all 12 of him, a reasonable amount of alternates to have, unlike some people... Shockwave Height Chart, everyone, fuckin wee.

Edit: I didn't like the old scaling I had so I changed it. The old chart is at the end of this post.

Quick Disclaimer, if any of the images look weird, it's because I had to stitch a few separate images together to create a full body shot of the character.

Here are links to my Bumblebee Chart, my Optimus Chart, my Megatron Chart, and my Soundwave Chart. !!NEW!! -> Ratchet & Ironhide. Please go gawk at how many Optimus designs there are, sweet fuck, there are so many. For future reference, all these charts will be filed under my "Transformers Height Charts" tag and my "aka the adventures of a..." tag.

Master Post

Explanations and Sources below the cut.

Unicron Trilogy Energon - ~14 feet 3 inches (No actual source, and Energon doesn't have any listed heights anywhere. For the uneducated, the Unicron Trilogy has given each of its 3 seasons separate names and 3 separate art styles. This is the design used in Energon (S2) though he only shows up in Energon. I was able to compare him to Optimus, and using Cybertron's listed heights, I got this number. I am in physical pain, it does not get better from here. Hilarious side note, his Japanese name is Laserwave, which contains the missing "wave" of Shockwave in this iteration's name.)

Earth Spark - ~15 feet (No actual source for ES, but using a barn door to get Bumblebee's height, then Optimus's, then Megatron's height, I was able to make a guess at Shockwave's. Shockwave comes up to about Megatron's chin; I lost the screenshot I used. It's so convoluted, I know, but it's all I have, also, tiny universe, everyone is so small)

TFA Longarm/V1 - 15 feet 2 inches (Animated has no actual numbers, but the lovely @phoenix-inanis has provided a frankly astounding resource with their own calculations for the heights of all the TFA characters. Go look at it, it's wonderful -> https://phoenix-inanis.notion.site/TFA-Height-Chart-f6ad2960ca8c4c5b859ee4958723aaa4?pvs=4)

Gen 1 - ~18 feet (TFWiki, uuuuh I've got nothing to add)

Netflix Cybertron Trilogy - ~18 feet (I have no source for this, other than assuming that because this design is identical to Gen 1, they are the same height. That's it, really)

Knight/Capel-Verse - ~18 feet (No source, and he never stands next to anyone I can measure him against, but because the TFOne director has said that this movie is both canon to the LA movies and its own separate canon, I am assuming the height I figured out for TFOne applies to this universe as well. Until proven otherwise. Capel directed the ROTB movie if you're wondering why his name is there)

One - ~18 feet (No source, I got this number by comparing him to Optimus. Now, I am aware of the TFO heights listed on the wiki, but I reject those numbers on principal. A: Those numbers are sourced from the Walmart Promotional AR Experience that came out before the movie. B: There are three decimal points, and that number does not convert into a whole number in meters (which is originally what I thought was weird about it). C: The director has said that this movie is both canon to the LA movies and its own separate canon, so I have elected to use the few given heights we have from KCV and worked from there. My Optimus post has slightly more context if you want it)

Cyberverse - 20 feet (This comes from a screenshot of this video which has the Cyberverse height chart everyone uses, though the quality of the screenshot is iffy.)

Aligned Cont. WF/FOC/TFP - 26 feet 2 inches (This number comes from Fandom and I completely believe it, even if they don't list their source, because the entirety of this universe is freakishly tall. Go look at my other charts, all the ALC designs are monstrous compared to the others)

TFA V2 - 29 feet 11 inches (Once again, phoenix-inanis did a fuck ton of work, go look at it, it's wonderful -> https://phoenix-inanis.notion.site/TFA-Height-Chart-f6ad2960ca8c4c5b859ee4958723aaa4?pvs=4)

Bayverse - ~30 feet (Ok, so I don't have a source for this one. There used to be one, BV Shockwave used to be listed as 40 feet tall bc of an article done to promote the movie, but that is no longer listed for reasons not known to me, and making some comparisons to Optimus, I have found them to be kinda close in height. It's very hard to actually validate any of this. Shockwave never stands normally next to anything I can use as a ruler at any point in the movie. He's always at a dramatic angle or partially covered by something in the shot. It's so violently frustrating. I am confident he is around this height though, I just can't figure out how much taller than Optimus he is)

And that's it. I didn't have to leave any designs out, all of them are included here (hopefully). It was so nice to work with a character where I wasn't drowning in 20+ designs across every goddamn universe.

Edit: Here are the different layers separated.

vvv Old scale vvv

[wichwitchisit-blog]

I think I really love Shockwave

[pocoslip]

If they ever do Studio Series Gamer Edition WFC Shockwave, I don't mind a Brimstone Repaint

(If Takara Hasbro can't make a New Cybertron Brimstone Toy anyway)

[rinovarka]

Two last pieces for CybFest NW — WFC Siege Starscream and the hypothetical era of Decepticon aerial superiority, and TFOne Shockwave trying to aura farm

[eashgirl]

Elita ships! Especially tf one Elita,Explain the appeal I don't know how random or controversial I wanna hear them out.

Huh?Is this about that brief mention in my StarWaveWave post. But ok I don't mind she's my recent favourite so I geniunely don't think there's a single "bad" ship/bad as in a ship I don't like on some level atleast. Because more love for her right?

Oplita is my favourite ship for her though because they're the couple ever since g1, I like the mutual trust they have for eachother and their varying differences in leadership, in tf one there's kind of a clash between her pragmatism and his idealism and I find that really interesting. If we do get a sequel their relationship could be explored a lot more from building the Autobot faction and learning to trust one another more, Earthspark and Tf One may have my favourite dynamics between them ngl, Skybound has the angsty part of her wanting to protect their planet and Optimus wanting to protect Earth and this putting them at odds. It's just a classic like MegOp, they could geniunely uplift eachother in a healthy way, also it kind of felt like Orion was hitting on her during the mining scene low-key.

While my friend and I were joking about it we did come up with other random ships I actually find quite interesting/funny.

Megalita/Deelita

I ship MegOpLita so it's pretty much a given that I would like this ship too, I think they might have gotten along better than Elita with Orion at the beginning since D-16 was the one who typically stayed out of trouble, their conversation in WFC trilogy was also a bit of the reason why I think it's an interesting ship he tried to convince her if she was a better leader than Optimus he'd consider joining her side and she said he'd never even make the team. Earthspark has the three of them be like an old married couple and that's kinda cute whether you ship them as friends or not. Because to me shipping isn't just about saying I want certain charecters to kiss.

ChromeLita.

I think Chromia was like her right hand bot in G1 alongside Moonracer and Firestar, they haven't interacted much ever since G1 but I think it's still kinda adorable, there could definitely be a layer of mutual trust and understanding, they've been comrades for a while so I think it's a good ship, underrated tho, I might write a fic for them someday.

Shocklita

I have actually shipped them quite a while before Tf One came out, because of Shockwave's reaction to Elita and her army in g1, just the mere notion of female Autobots being alive was enough for him to short circuit, that and the idea Elita and Shockwave were the higher ranking officers stationed/left on Cybertron so the enmity/rivalry could be either appealing for it's toxicity or just for funsies. Shockwave is really only shippable for me depending on which version of him we are talking about really. Her punching him into submission in TFO was funny and I think that relationship could be kinda cute in concept even if I don't see it happening. The fun thing about ships is who cares about canon just do what makes you happy, ships like these I don't really want it to be canon I like living in my own bubble. I think they might get along over being the ones being stressed with the things their companions get into all the time.

StarLita

Honestly there is literally no reason for me to ship this besides the fact they are my favourite characters,and for comedic purposes I read a surprisingly good fic about this so I find the concept funny, they're both second in commands, and have opposite personalities, it she can snap Shockwave out of his delusions she can do the same to Starscream they'd hate eachother lol but I can kind of see him finding her the most tolerable(as if he has much room to speak)out of the quartret. But it's still a funny ship, and also weirdly underrated they have interacted I think in several continuities,another guilty pairing I may write a fic for someday. The rivals appeal is there. Plus I low-key feel like headstrong people he can argue with are his type ngl since besides Skystar(in which case I think Skyfire being dedicated to his beliefs over him is the reason why he started to hate him) every single one of his other ships include that dynamic, but tbh I kind of like them having a more sibling like/platonic dynamic in my AU. Staroplita on the other hand.... I do like it😉.

Arceelita

I have no idea why I ship this besides me seeing a cute fanart of Arcee fangirling over Elita and looking up to her. It's overall just sweet. Elita would love having someone look up to her, and I think given her nature of overworking herself she may actually benefit from having people like Orion/Optimus and Arcee in her life to help her loosen up.

AirLita could be appealing to some people too but it's not really something I ship tbh, most Airachnid ships don't really sit well with me as much as I love her,Sentirachnid is the rare exception because it's freak x freak.

Her and Slipstream could be cute too, I ship this purely because of the TFA Blackarachnia/Slipstream ship.

You asked for random ships you got it. I ship her with a lot of people like my other favourites, but I have a special place in my heart for Oplita and recently Shocklita too, I just want Elita to get more love, she deserves it. And part of that means just like any other charecter she deserves her fair share of random ships.

[dormiloncito]

the thing about transformers is that they really get you with the toys

[scrimpswrites]

Love seeing fatass beast Shockwave because Megatron really leaves Cybertron and it’s limited resources to the most gluttonous bitch on the planet. She’s the sin of greed!!! Stop it she’s eating everything!!!

[antenanotaic3]

look him in the eye and tell him no

[queenbehavior]

I’m going to be attending Cybfest, an unofficial Transformers convention in a little over a week. Jason Konopisos-Alvarez, the VA for Shockwave from “Transformers: One,” and Frank Todaro, the VA for Starscream in the Prime Wars and Netflix War for Cybertron trilogies, are going to be doing a Q&A panel.

I want to ask them a question but I don’t know what to ask! Does anyone have any ideas for fun questions? Is there anything you want to know, or any insight on what VAs liked to be asked?

I’ll make sure to report back after the panel to let you know their responses, if anyone’s interested.

[nonexistentbee]

Merry Christmas everyone!

[name-is-tired]

I lied I couldn't find a way to add the primes (yet tho DW) and I didn't feel like doing TC and SW yet so more shockwave content. Part of the au in previous posts. The next post of the au is going to be with soundwave to match with this (it will give more information).

So yeah my reason that empurata isn't a thing is that he's younger here and also the council isn't able to do that also it doesn't exist. That's why I kept some similarities to his usual face with the colours and soundwave.

My plan is to post some intros and lore of this au for a bit and then I'll stop so I can practice drawing so I can give more content and also maybe writing.

[tiny-tf-faces]

[datharlequinoni]

Transformers Generations WFC: Siege IDW Impactor, Shockwave Netflix Deep Cover (G2 Deep Cover)

[pocoslip]

When Bumblebee and Everyone Except Thundercracker got Mechtech Weapons

(Wish I got Both G1 Styled Sideswipe Figure and a Mechtech Chainsaw Gun for Earthrise Thundercracker too)

[quantumlogician]

Pony Maker

Tagged by: @mnemoiisms

Tagging: Anyone who hasn't done this.

[dundeey]

What do you mean, "Prowl is not a cop"?

The essay we’ve all been waiting for. And by we I mean nobody. And by nobody I mean me. 

Introduction

To me, IDW Prowl is very clearly not a cop. To some, while in agreement that Prowl does not serve the role of a cop within the narrative, he is at least written to be cop-analogous. This, however, I still do not agree with. Those who think otherwise should pay more attention to the issues the character stars in.

Back when I had just finished reading IDW, I was pondering over this topic when I suddenly came across a wonderfully heated discussion between a passionate Prowl fan and some other users in a thread on the TFW2005 boards. This fan was fiercely defending Prowl from the cop-allegations given by both fans and third party Transformers figure companies. I read said user’s comments and was quite impressed (and perhaps even a little touched) by their arguments. When I had a similar discussion with some friends many months later, I tried to refind the thread, just to find ANOTHER thread, this time made for the sole purpose of discussing IDW Prowl’s alleged cop motifs. So, because other people have put this way better than I ever could, I'm mostly just going to share parts of their discussions with you. The threads are long, chaotic and full of irrelevant clutter, so I've carefully (but NOT cherry)picked out what's relevant so that you will (hopefully) see my side of things. So here we go.

By the end of this, it's important that we have established what exactly a cop is. We will also need to have established what Prowl's role is within the IDW canon. Then, because this is just as if not more important, we need to have analyzed the writer’s intentions. Finally, we need to see if the dots connect. Spoiler alert: they don't. Not even a little bit. In fact, I'm going to show you a couple of quotes by Prowl that are so ANTI-COP that it's almost comical. But first, let’s start off with something real stimulating: forum comments. Do skip to the TLDR if you don’t wish to read through four pages of them.

Thread: XM Studios Prowl statue

“Always feels funny to me when people not familiar with the character assume that Prowl is a cop just because he turns into a police car... when really, he was a military strategist in most continuities (and second in command to Prime in some). (...)” - user BB Shockwave

“I was just about to say the same thing! Prowl is not a cop! (lol) This sculpt looks really cool. I appreciate the aesthetics... but the riot shield and truncheon show that they didn't really get what the character is about (Ironhide instead fulfills that role in 1984, or Red Alert in '85). Prowl is a high-ranking planner, calculator, strategist, and in some continuities, a plotter. He's a quiet background guy.

This is sort of like producing a Starscream statue with a bellowing rage-face, or Soundwave in a break-dancing pose, or...uh... Cliffjumper with a clipboard? (...)” - user SMOG (in reply to user BB Shockwave)

“Prowl has been a cop in a very large amount of continuities. At this point him being a cop at one point or another is more commonly used.” - user octobotimus (in reply to user BB Shockwave and user SMOG)

“Really? In which continuities is G1 Prowl a cop?

RID Prowl was a police officer, and Armada Prowl started as a security officer, but they aren't the same character... like at all.

IDW 1.0 Prowl was a former police agent in flashbacks to the pre-war period in IDW (as were Chromedome, Orion Pax, Roller) though mostly in a detective capacity (mechaforensics, technically). IDW 2.0 Prowl seems to be a security officer, but that's also pre-war, so we can assume he grows into his standard military strategist role long before he gets to Earth.

In Dreamwave, not a cop. In Cyberverse, not a cop. WFC trilogy, not a cop. In Animated, he was a ninja. In Highmoon/Prime he was a high-ranking militia officer. In Marvel he was a strategist and first officer of the Ark. In Sunbow he was... just some guy?

That doesn't seem like a very large number of continuities. Am I missing any?” - user SMOG (in reply to user octobotimus)

“Prowl was at one point or another a cop in IDW, WFC/aligned, RID, and Energon by technicality (being on a swat team). And that’s not counting the continuities where he was part of a “security force” where he essentially was a cop but was named something else to sound more Cybertronian.” - user octobotimus (in reply to user SMOG)

“RID and Energon are different characters, unrelated to G1 prowl in every way except name and having "Police" stamped on their alt-modes. In WFC he was less a cop, than a high-ranking security director operating on the administrative level - a bit more akin to Intelligence than civilian policing and definitely not some beat cop with a shield and truncheon.

And as stated earlier, Prowl wasn't a standard officer in IDW -- he was a forensic specialist. The role and skillset don't quite fit the "cop" motif this statue is pushing. And IDW Prowl's depiction is so much more than "cop" -- whether it was in the writing runs of Furman, Barber, Roberts or Roche... Prowl's role was way more far-reaching and espionage-adjacent.

In fictions like IDW, where Prowl has been a top military strategist and intelligence director for millions of years during the most relevant periods of G1, why reduce him to the "law-enforcement" cliche when doing a depiction of G1 earth-mode Prowl? A more cagey or contemplative pose would have been less dynamic, but more representative of the character.

Should Optimus Prime and Chromedome now be cop-themed going forward because they were cops in IDW? And where does that leave characters who actually are explicit police-analogs like Ironhide, Red Alert, and Nightbeat (who don't have POLICE stamped on their alt-modes). Or perhaps Streetwise, who is implicitly a cop based on his bio, but not in terms of his official function.

As stated, all of these examples ultimately just stem from an ongoing, simplistic, and somewhat incorrect understanding of the character and his role. It's not a huge transgression... just a recurring pet peeve, that I think detracts from the appeal of this statue.” - user SMOG (in reply to user octobotimus)

“I don't find it reductive at all.

Rather, I think it helps to show the character is multifaceted.

For me, it wasn't "Prowl is just a cop" but rather "Prowl is also a cop".

So while I consider him more of an intellectual type, it was nice to see this figure showing Prowl in the middle of the action.” - user Smasher (in reply to user SMOG)

“Does it make him multifaceted though? I mean, one can draw on millennia of combat field experience without relying on a truncheon and giant shield with "POLICE" emblazoned on it. I think Snake-Eyes can be a commando and a ninja, just based on whether he's carrying a sword or not, but I'm not sure the police paraphernalia is as versatile in the case of Prowl (considering both his origins in G1, and his growth in subsequent G1 fictions).

I believe it's reductive from its point of conception, or at least based on reductive assumptions, but yes... of course it can be additive if we choose to supply our own context.“ - user SMOG (in reply to user Smasher)

“Idk man I think you’re overthinking things. As you can see by my profile my favorite character is Barricade, who is just a decepticon cop.” - user octobotimus (in reply to user SMOG)

“Barricade is a Bayformers invention... so who knows what he's really supposed to be or if anyone gave it any thought? Is he a cop? Does he actually do any cop stuff? Or does he just disguise himself as a cop car?

Logically, he's just another warrior. Or a tracker. Or even an intelligence officer (which is why he's paired with a spy like Frenzy)

Otherwise, as a cop, wouldn't that mean his job would be to act an enforcer on civilian populaces under Decepticon rule?

As you can tell, my favourite way to engage with Transformers as a longtime fan is precisely by overthinking things. :)“ - user SMOG (in reply to user octobotimus)

“(...) [Prowl] became a military tactician once the war started. I think most saw he was a cop in one continuity and it just made sense, so everyone ran with it. (...)” - user SunSwipe5

“(...) But even if he did time as a detective on Pre-War Cybertron, I don't exactly see the Autobot supreme military strategist on Earth doing random police grunt work in his spare time. :)

I think on some level, it's just slightly tiresome to see the most obvious motif repeatedly dumped on Prowl... ie: "you are your alt-mode". Especially when he rarely gets his due as it is. :)“ - user SMOG (in reply to user SunSwipe5)

Those were some pretty compelling arguments for not just IDW Prowl but Prowl’s disambiguation, and I wasn’t even gonna go there. Also, I love octobotimus’ last comment. Of course, if you think too hard, you lose. Classic rookie mistake. Moving on.

Thread: Is PROWL a bad cop analog? (IDW)

“I saw a Facebook post in a tf group about how Prowl in IDW is a bad cop analog based on the things he's done. That list included bombing a city, leaving the autobots, becoming a part of Devastator, putting Overlord on the Lost Light, and more.

I however see it as Prowl being out for himself, and not so much about him being a crooked cop. Bombing a city was to stir up AUTOBOT ranks, which is his faction. Becoming a part of Devastator was originally not of his own will, but gives him a strike force to carry out his actions. Putting Overload on the Lost Light... maybe he was bad for that.

In any case, I can see where the argument comes from, but I don't agree with it. Prowl was never really a police analogue to begin with. His official title is as a Strategist and Analyst, which lends itself to that kind of work. True, he has the paint scheme and held the office, but that doesn't mean he fits that motif after leaving cybertron.

I dunno. Discuss if you want I suppose.” - user Tankhunter48

Author’s note: So, while I like to post comments from both sides of a discussion to keep things neutral, I’m just gonna come out and say that the first half of this thread is filled with unhinged comments that are not just based on bad opinions, but straight up say shit that is not true. I could go through each of them and give my counter-arguments like an insane person, but if I show you a bunch of bad arguments just to refute them, you’ll basically gain net zero information, and that’s a waste of both of our time. So I’m going to jump straight to the comments that are actually saying something worthwhile. But by all means, go through the thread yourself if you want to have the same agonizing experience I did.

“I have never once heard of a cop doing any of those things. Bombing a city? Never mind becoming part of a combiner. Someone on Facebook doesn't know what analog means.” - user SouthtownKid

“Fans like to make comparrisons between things they don't understand and claim it was an analogy/metaphor/symbolism a lot.

If Prowl was supposed to be a "bad cop" he'd be a stereotypical brutish, power-absusing crook on the take so-to-speak. Someone who hides behind his authority and only does the bad things he does because of the safety and freedom it grants him.

IDW Prowl is cold and calculating. Apathetically doing awful things or turning a blind eye in a misguided sense of justice and logic. He cannot see the trees for the forest as it were, focused so much on statistics and strategy he'll see widespread death and suffering as acceptable losses if it means moving closer to ending the war or achieving a goal he deems "worth it."“ - user SPLIT LIP

“(...) Exactly, he's not the "bad cop", he's the realist.” - user TGS1985 (in reply to user SPLIT LIP)

“Prowl is a good example of how the D&D alignment system is far too simplistic and restrictive to be very interesting (in my gaming days, I preferred systems without this sort of artificial character trait system). He isn't evil, or even neutral because everything he does is to promote the social good as he sees it. He does little, if anything, for his own selfish benefit. He isn't exactly good, because he's very willing to allow suffering if he sees it as ultimately advancing the public good. He certainly isn't chaotic, because he believes in and promotes a strong government presence. He isn't lawful, because he believes he, as a de facto representative of that government, has a right and obligation to step outside the bounds of the law to promote the public good as he interprets it. I suppose you could argue that makes him neutral on the L/C spectrum, but I think that's a stretch. Like many relatively well-written characters, he doesn't fit on that sort of simplistic grid.

I'd argue he isn't a bad cop, because he isn't a cop. The stereotypical cop, good or bad, is someone on the beat or in the field. Prowl is a guy behind a desk.

If you want to categorize Prowl by archetype, I think Smog has been very on point in describing him as a Magnificent Bastard. He's a Manipulator. He's an Extremist, in that he's willing to go to just about any length in pursuit of his (public, not selfish) agenda.“ - user theosteve

The perfect comment to conclude this discussion with. You can’t argue against it, can you? Indeed, Prowl neither thinks like a cop nor acts like one. The closest Prowl gets to being a cop is when he disguises himself as a cop car while stationed on earth, but, as user SMOG stated, that argument gets dangerously close to the “you are your alt-mode”-mindset.

TLDR

Cop or no cop…? Well, let’s see here. At some point Prowl was in forensics. Eventually, he turned into a military strategist. From what we see, Prowl was never some jock in the field. He’s always behind a desk, thinking of the next best move that will bring his faction closer to winning. On top of that, Prowl is not in it for himself or for those he deems superior to others - he has a vision of what a just world looks like, and fights for it. That is all that Prowl does, it’s all that he is. The thing is - he doesn’t look great doing it. And I think that, more than anything, is what makes people reduce Prowl to a bad cop - it’s the fact that he does bad things. Prowl putting Overlord on the Lost Light has nothing to do with the conversation, but it’s still an argument that’s being used, because people don’t like it. What’s funny about this is that, while exclusively in fiction good cops do exist, Prowl is not even that. This isn’t about Prowl being good or bad, it’s about whether he’s a cop or not, allegorically or otherwise. And to prove that he isn’t, I’m gonna share some very important images that are paramount to understanding Prowl as a character:

The Transformers: Death of Optimus Prime, James Roberts & John Barber

The Transformers (2014) #37, John Barber

Oh… Oh. Here we have Prowl single handedly putting an end to this discussion by revealing his past, and Spike representing the average IDW reader. How’s that for a lore dump? It’s as if Barber solely wrote this to check if anyone was still reading this shit. Nobody talks about this, despite it giving more insight into Prowl’s backstory than the first two phases of IDW, and it baffles me. Why do these discussions even exist when issue 37 of EXRID is right there? In fact, why didn’t I just show this at the very start instead of spending five hours on something that no sane person is going to read? Ugh.

Conclusion

So, Prowl is not a cop, period. Why? ‘Cus he said so. See, it’s right there. “I was a cop”. Past tense. Gottem. However…, let’s ignore semantics for argument’s sake, and focus on the big picture: Prowl saw the system for what it was (“the real criminal”, oof) and proceeded to destroy it from the inside out. It made him lose everything and everyone in the process. Despite that, he calls himself proud. Prowl even sided with the Decepticon cause for a while (calling it “our revolution” no less…!) before Megatron turned into a villain… leading Prowl to feel betrayed once again. At this point, he wants out, and he tries, but his failed attempt determines him to keep fighting for another four million years. 

The conclusion is this: if you argue that Prowl is a cop, I’m just going to assume you didn’t read the comic.